Irish postage stamps in sterling silver

Mr CJ

Just wondering if anyone out there has any info on these silver stamps, The Millenium Collection? I believe not many where issued but when I try find info on the net absolutely nothing can be found, any one even know if there worth anything?

The 6 stamps where sold individually or as a box set produced by Hibernia mint which are now gone.

Thanks

Missent

Hi CJ,

Notice that no-one has replied to your query. Have tried to see if I could find any details of these on sale, presumably around the year 2000, but couldn't.

However, they are generally regarded as low value items as they don't appeal to serious philatelists and the value of the metal used is usually low.

However, equivalent sterling silver impressions of US stamps are on sale on Ebay at USD3.99 each. Ebay might be a good place to test the water.

Missent

Further to my post above, have now found details of this set. Sold by Hibernia Mint of Santry, Dublin 9 in 2000 at IR£59.95 each or at IR£299 for the set of six.

Hibernia were licensed by An Post to produce the set and each piece was stated to "weigh not less than 1/2 oz. Troy, measures 40.64mm x 29.8mm and is struck with the Dublin Assay, Troy and Millennium hallmarks".

The set was said to "make a lovely gift idea for that someone special in your life".

The above would suggest that they are better quality than the American items on Ebay.

Mr CJ

Hi,

I am very impressed, where/how did you find out this? usually if its out there I will find it but not this time.

Yes they where expensive I just find it very strange that there is hardly no mention of them at all? Curious to know there value now

Missent

Hi CJ

Reckoned that that set had to be marketed to philatelists at the time.

Eventually found the ad in an An Post Collector's News sometime around the year 2000 (away from home at the moment).

(Yeah, I know - I've a bit of a hoarding problem keeping things like old Collector's News)

Blade

Missent wrote: »

(Yeah, I know - I've a bit of a hoarding problem keeping things like old Collector's News)

Yah I know the feeling, I've a pile of them here too, not quite sure why.

Mr CJ

So thats your secret lol I came across the full set there just wonder what there worth.

bogmailer

Mr CJ,

I know all about these stamps because I made them!

You are no doubt interested in their value etc. and I will try to help. The stamps are sterling silver and each one carries the special hallmark that was used by the Dublin Assay Office in the millennium year (actually it was used from July 1999 to December 2000). Note that silver is at a 31yr high ($46 today) so although the silver in each stamp is not worth IR£59.95 yet the stamps would be much more expensive if they were being made & sold today. I cannot remember the exact weight of each stamp but as I have a few left I will weigh one for you and let you know the exact value of the silver later. All the set up costs for packaging, dies, publicity material etc. formed part of the price (as did 21% VAT) and they were intended to be bought as a long term investment. In saying that I have no doubt that they will become valuable in time (keep an eye on silver price) primarily because they carry the special millennium hallmark which makes them collectable. Not every silver item carried the mark in 2000 - only certain items like medals & tokens, & large silver items (cutlery, salvers etc.). The mark was NOT available on jewellery items.

As with any item like this it is worth whatever someone is prepared to pay for it. You could test the water on Ebay with a good reserve and see what happens. Do you have the booklet & cert that came with the set? All that helps. We sent these all over the world - as far away as Japan and the Dutch Antilles. If memory serves me correctly we sold about half of the series of 1,000 sets.

Hope this is helpful and I will get back to you on the weights.

Mr CJ

Hi, thanks for all that info!

I was very suprised that there is not a single word about these stamps on the net, is the reason that not all of them where sold so there is not the full qty in the public domain? Are there a stock of unsold ones out there?

Thanks

mickstretch007

I have been trying to the find the value also.

I have a complete set (with authentication cert etc) which we bought after our wedding. There were 2000 sets available altogether, do not know how many were sold though.

I also have the receipt somewhere, so will find it and let you know how much we paid for the set, from memory it was a lot more than the £300 stated, but, it was eleven years ago.

As to what they are worth now??? It would be whatever someone will pay.

Anthony O Brien

I bought a set of these along with some other items a few months back with the intent of selling them on but couldnt find anybody that was interested in them, ended up scrapping them a couple of weeks ago

Mr CJ

mickstretch007 wrote: »

I have been trying to the find the value also.

I have a complete set (with authentication cert etc) which we bought after our wedding. There were 2000 sets available altogether, do not know how many were sold though.

I also have the receipt somewhere, so will find it and let you know how much we paid for the set, from memory it was a lot more than the £300 stated, but, it was eleven years ago.

As to what they are worth now??? It would be whatever someone will pay.

It seems like alot more money because it was back then lol, yes they where £300 pound for the full set, I thought I would of coming across them at least once or twice after some searching but nothing at all, I thought that was strange, but yes it depends what people are willing to pay for them.

It seems to me that not many out there have the full set.